1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a sensor system having at least one first sensor element for measuring a first physical variable and a second sensor element for measuring a second physical variable, wherein the first sensor element is part of an application-specific integrated circuit that has not only the first sensor element but also further electronic circuits, and the second sensor element is arranged separately and outside the application-specific integrated circuit, wherein the second sensor element is electrically connected to the application-specific integrated circuit via a first connection point.
2. Related Art
By way of example, such sensor systems are used to record the mass flow and the temperature of a fluid flow, particularly in the automotive industry. This is of great significance, since these physical variables are measured and processed for the purpose of optimized control of internal combustion engines in motor vehicles. To this end, modern sensor systems use application-specific integrated circuits on which the first sensor element, for example the sensor element for measuring the air mass flow, is fully integrated. However, the second sensor element is arranged separately and outside the application-specific integrated circuit, for example because it is intended to record a different physical variable without being disturbed by the first sensor element. An example that can be cited in this case is a temperature sensor element that is intended to measure the temperature of the air mass flow remotely from the sensor element for measuring the air mass flow. Both sensor elements, that is to say the sensor element for measuring the air mass flow and the temperature sensor element, are parts of the sensor system, however. Therefore, the second sensor element, in this example the temperature sensor element, is electrically connected to the application-specific integrated circuit via a first connection point.
The application-specific integrated circuit needs to be programmed before the sensor system is first started up. According to the prior art, programming involves the use of at least one third interface that is not required further following the programming of the sensor system. In the case of application-specific integrated circuits, the interfaces themselves are relatively expensive assemblies, the number of which should be kept down where possible.